Adventures and misadventures in the kitchen, garden, and wilderness--plus whatver else the Kat drags in!

Monday, November 16, 2009

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream (by Kat)

A few years ago, we bought a new mattress set.A year previous, we bought a house built in 1910.

Those of you with older homes are already laughing. It's really a pretty common story, isn't it? It's common enough around my town that the furniture store should really post a warning. Of course, they'd sell fewer mattress sets that way, so it probably won't happen anytime soon.

Those of you with newer homes might be feeling lost about now.

I'll let you in on a secret. The staircases in older homes usually lack the headspace needed to get a boxframe larger than a twin-size up to the second floor. So for the past few years the mattress and the boxspring were relegated to separate homes--the mattress in our room, and the boxspring out in the shop, still wrapped up in its protective plastic bag.

My back has been hurting more and more lately, but stopped when I went to visit Bet last week. When I returned home, the stiff neck I've had since August returned. The lower back spasms forced me to walk like someone four times my age. I was angry.... I was in pain.... I took charge....

The stairs suffered my wrath.The carpet was entirely ripped up. All but the top three stair treads were removed.

There was heaving, pulling, grunting, and sweating.

The treads were replaced, the artwork covered up, and now I have to paint the stairs.BUTMy neck is no longer stiff, and my back hurts a whole lot less!